Microsoft OneDrive now has a secure vault for your most private files
Microsoft has announced it’s introducing a special place on OneDrive to store your most important documents.
Personal Vault will be a part of OneDrive dedicated to your most vital files – think passport scan, your tax returns, and digital copies of your ID. It’s different to the rest of your OneDrive account, as it’ll require an extra layer of authentication to access, be it a PIN, fingerprint, face scan, two-factor authentication code or a use of Microsoft’s own Authenticator app.
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Neatly, Microsoft is aware that actually digitising these essential files is a potential security breach in itself, so will let you scan them in directly from the OneDrive app. That means no risk of your passport hanging around in your camera roll for all to see.
And Personal Vault isn’t just protected in the cloud. Users running Windows 10 will find that their Personal Vault is synced to a BitLocker-encrypted section of their hard drive. Of course, there’s always a risk that somebody will be able to peek after you’ve authenticated, which is why Microsoft has added an automatic relocking period: three minutes for mobile devices, or 20 minutes for desktops and laptops. If accessed via browser, your files won’t be saved in the cache.
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Microsoft says there’s no limit to the number of files for Office 365 subscribers, while those on free or standalone 100GB plans will face an as-yet unspecified file limit. It’s coming “soon” for users in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and will be with everyone else by the end of the year.
Elsewhere, Microsoft has announced that users on the entry-level £1.99 per month OneDrive plan will soon see their space doubled from 50GB to 100GB at no additional cost. Office 365 subscribers, meanwhile, will be able to add more storage to their 1TB of space in 200GB increments starting at $1.99 (~£1.57) per month.
Will you use OneDrive Personal Vault for your precious files? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
